Naked Ambition
by Hypnotoad76
Summary: Annie decides to become a nude model for an art class to make some extra money and to gain some confidence in herself. Set from middle of second season to middle of third season
1. Chapter 1

It all began when she needed money to pay her rent at Dildopolous.

Actually, it really all began when she was a teenager. Or possibly even before that. Even if she was a little fuzzy on the true time of the origin, it still all started with her mother.

Growing up Annie came from money. Both her parents made enough at their jobs to live a comfortable and even sometimes lavish lifestyle. Even after the divorce Annie and her mom still lived in a nice house and always had nice things. Ideally Annie would not have had to know true want until after she moved out on her own. But her mother was always very tight fisted when it came to providing for Annie. She didn't starve her or made her wear rags. Rather she only bought things for Annie that SHE felt her daughter needed, rather than things Annie wanted for herself. "No Annie, I'm not buying you ice cream. Sugar isn't good for you. I'm not getting you a bike Annie. If you need to go somewhere I'll just drive you. I don't care if Susie's mother is taking everyone to Adventure Park; I'm not giving you money for a ticket. You go on all those rides and you'll just come home sick and over stimulated." And in addition to never buying anything for Annie that she didn't approve of, Annie's mom also never gave her an allowance or any spending money. (The only exception to this being her 'period fairy' monthly dollar. And Annie suspected her mother just did this because it proved that Annie hadn't tarnished the family name by becoming pregnant.)

Eventually Annie realized why her mother was doing this. Annie's mother wanted her daughter under her control. And by completely denying her monetary means, she kept Annie firmly under her thumb. If there was something Annie wanted that her mother didn't want her to have or do, she got her way because Annie had no other way of getting or achieving it on her own.

It was from this that Annie came to the realization that money equaled freedom. Her mother was able to control her because Annie needed her financially. But if she had her own money she could someday use it to do things she wanted to do. And not just buy frivolous things, but attend a college of her choice, or travel, or live on her own. So from the age of twelve Annie saved every cent she ever got. Every period dollar, every check from birthdays and Hanukkahs, all the money her relatives gave her for her Bat Mitzvah. It all went into a bank account she set up that her mother couldn't get to. In addition Annie worked any job a teenager could do when she wasn't studying for school. Some were fairly traditional, like babysitting and working as a cashier at a clothing store. Other jobs, such as working as a clown for children's parties one summer, were less so. But Annie persisted and by the time she was in twelve grade she had accumulated enough of a nest egg where even her Adderall addiction (the only thing she ever ended up dipping into her savings for) didn't put a dent in.

It was due to her meticulous saving that Annie was even able to get the help she needed. After crashing through that plate glass window Annie told her mother that she needed to go to rehab to beat her addiction. Her mother flatly refused, terrified of what it would do to the family name. And when Annie said that she was still going her mother told her, in a nastily smug tone, "And how do you plan to go if I'm not paying? I doubt they give out scholarships to attend rehab."

Annie had to admit that she got a lot of satisfaction out of telling her mother she would be paying to go to rehab herself. It was even sweeter when her mother declared that if she went she would be cut off, and Annie replied that she had the means to take care of herself. Because of her realization and her hard work she was able to go to rehab, get clean, and move out on her own.

She kept up her careful planning when she moved out. She moved into the cheapest apartment she could find (even if it was in a terrible neighborhood) and bought a car that had seen far better days. But in spite of her planning Annie didn't realize just how expensive living on your own could be. After only a year her nest egg pretty much dried up. Naively she had thought it would last until she graduated from college. But she realized that that idea was just a pipe dream.

So like always she looked for ways to make money and support herself. She brought empty cans to distributors and got a job after the whole Pierce drug play fiasco. Luckily she didn't have to resort to selling her eggs (though she did seriously look into it when she missed her rent one month and was told she'd be evicted if it happened again). But she was always on the lookout for a way to make extra cash.

And then one day Britta brought to light one thing she could do.

During a lecture in their Feminist Representations in Media class, the instructor asked the class if they felt it was demeaning for a woman to be naked while others were clothed, such as on a film set or in a photography studio. And Britta was passionately on the side where it wasn't demeaning. When their teacher asked if she had any personal experience on the matter Britta said she didn't. But later when she had lunch with Shirley and Annie she informed the two women that she hadn't been truthful in class.

"You used to be a nude model?" Shirley shriek/whispered in surprise.

"Yea, when I was living in New York," Britta said as she shrugged. "I just did it for a few life drawing classes. It wasn't that big of a deal."

"How naked were you? Were you topless, or where you, _naked naked?" _Annie whispered.

Britta sighed as she shook her head. "Annie, trust me, it's not as big a thing as you'd think."

"Maybe for you. But I could never let a bunch of strangers see me in my birthday suit," Shirley said.

"I'm not trying to talk you into doing it. I'm just saying it wasn't that bad. After a while you almost forget you're even naked. And people who draw in an art class actually leer at you less than people on the street do. I honestly felt more objectified walking home in my clothes then in the studio naked."

"Would you ever do it again?" Annie asked.

"I wouldn't do it here," Britta exclaimed as she waved her hands wildly. "Not where people see me on a daily basis. But in general? Yea, I guess. Like I said you get used to it after a while, and it made me more comfortable with myself and my sexuality."

"So that's where you got it from," Shirley said in a low judgmental voice.

Britta glared at Shirley before continuing. "Plus it was a way to make some extra cash."

"Really," Annie said, trying not to sound too eager. "How much did you make?"

"Well I don't know about here. But in New York I usually made fifteen to twenty dollars an hour. A couple times I made thirty an hour when the class's model dropped out and I had to fill in at the last minute."

When Annie went home that night she thought about it a great deal. At first it seemed completely insane. Standing naked in a room full of strangers. She'd be modified. But the pay seemed good. It wasn't enough to live on. But it could allow her to put a little bit away so she hopefully wasn't always just scraping by. Plus they had raised her Dildopolous rent, so she could definitely use some extra money for food and general stuff.

And there could possibly be a secondary good thing to come out of posing nude.

It was well known that Annie was uncomfortable with her sexuality and her body. Again it was another thing that originated from her mother. Growing up her mother both insisted that Annie always look nice and presentable, and that she be conservative in her appearance. She'd dress her up in what she felt were appropriate outfits, and then belittled her on everything from her posture to her hair. If she wore something like a sundress without tights and a scarf or wrap it was deemed to 'showy and inappropriate'. "Your appearance counts Annie. People will get the wrong idea about you if you don't look a certain way." In high school Annie rebelled against her mother by gaining weight, cutting her hair, and dressing sloppily (wearing old clothes she'd find in discount thrift stores.) Once she entered rehab she lost weight due to detoxing and grew her hair back out. But even with her physical change and being on her own she was still uncomfortable with herself and with anything overtly sexual (though even she realized the irony of that given where she lived). Her first year at college she was fine with it. But now that she was in her second year she wanted to try to get over her hang-ups. She wanted to someday be able to dress like an adult and not feel like she was a kid playing dress up. Or say things like the 'P' word out loud. Of maybe even have a boyfriend actually see her naked (the two times she slept with Vaughn they did it with the lights off and she refused to have either of them actually see the other naked.)

So after several days of heavy debating with herself, she finally decided to take the plunge and give it a try.

Like everything she did, Annie started her new venture by doing research on the topic. It wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. Most material she found was for people who wanted to draw nude subjects, not people who wanted to be nude subjects. But after much searching Annie found a memoir about a woman who worked as a nude model. Annie bought and read the book thoroughly, taking notes on what would be helpful for her.

After that she checked out listings for drawing classes that needed nude models. Like Britta she already knew that she'd never be able to do it at Greendale. But she was able to find other places off campus that were looking for models. She finally settled on an adult education drawing class a few towns over. Annie called up and scheduled an appointment. And after meeting with the instructor she was told to show up on Thursday at 7pm for a trial run.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Annie stood outside the studio room, clutching her duffle bag protectively against her chest. She had been a bit excited when she woke up that morning. But the entire car ride over she became nervous as she realized exactly what she was about to do. And now that she was actually here she was downright terrified.

What am I doing, she thought. I'm about to let a bunch of strangers see me naked. What if they cat call me? Or make lewd comments. Or just stare at me the entire time. What if I get scared and run out of the room. Everyone will think I'm a bigger prude then I already am and I'll be mocked and made fun of. The group will find out and Britta will think I'm not an 'empowered' woman and Jeff will still think I'm just a kid.

It was Jeff's reaction that seemed to make up her mind on the matter. Shaking her head defiantly she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A few moments later Mr. Miller, an older hippy type with long grey hair and Birkenstocks over sock covered feet, opened the door. "Aw, Miss Edison. Come in."

Annie nervously followed the instructor into the studio, taking everything in. Over a dozen chairs and easels were set up in the room. Most were already filled with students of all ages. They barley paid any attention to her as they chatted and got their art equipment in order. In the front of the room was a small round dais, which looked like a stationary wooden Lazy Susan.

"Ok Miss, class will be starting in a few minutes. There's a bathroom over there in the corner. Why don't you get ready and I'll call you out when it's time."

"Ok," Annie said in a small squeak of a voice. She hugged her bag tightly against herself as she practically sprinted over to the bathroom.

Once inside she locked the door, double checking that it was indeed locked before switching on the overhead light. She took her terrycloth robe out of the bag and slowly took off every piece of clothing she had on, carefully folding each article before putting it in the bag. Once that was done she looked at herself in the mirror, going over her physical mental checklist. She had shaved her legs and arm pits when she showered that morning. She had checked herself over for bruises, acne, or any blemishes before she left (thankfully finding none). After one final inspection of herself she took out her hair brush and ran it through her hair to get out any wayward knots and frizz. Once it was smooth and silky she realized there wasn't anything else she could do to prepare. Now all that remained was the act itself.

As Annie looked at herself she thought back to a passage she read in the memoir she had gotten. _The first 30 seconds I'm naked are always the most jarring, no matter how many times I've posed. Slipping off my robe and suddenly going from clothed to unclothed is a shock both to myself and to the ones drawing me. Everyone's attention is on me as they take in my features to capture them in paint or charcoal. I feel more real in those first moments, both vulnerable and powerful in my nakedness, then I do during the rest of my time up there. _

"30 seconds," Annie nervously said. "You just have to get through those first 30 seconds and you're good." She put on her white terrycloth robe and opened the bathroom door a crack. The class had started, with the professor lecturing on the importance of capturing the feeling of a subject in a drawing rather than just the subject itself. After a few minutes he called over to her, telling her she could come out now.

Annie walked out of the bathroom on shaky legs, desperately trying not to run out of the room as she walked over to the dais. As she climbed on she remembered another passage from the book. _Most first time posers will try an elaborately complicated pose. While it might visually look impressive, one has to take into account that they will be holding that pose for a long time. And that even simple poses can hurt one's body after a while. I've found that it's best to pick a pose that's natural to you; making sure to evenly distribute your weight so no one body part is taking on extra strain._

Grateful that she had already practiced poses before she came here, Annie took a deep breath and took off her robe, dropping it on the floor next to the dais.

The first five seconds or so she didn't even think about it as she maneuvered herself into position. But once she had her legs situated and her arms by the sides of her thighs, it hit her like an electric shock. I'm standing here completely naked, she screamed in her head. As she looked out into the class she saw that everyone was looking intently at her. For a moment she wondered if she was having that dream when you go to class and you're the only one who's naked. Then she almost cried when she realized it wasn't a dream.

To try and focus on something else she looked at the professor out of the corner of her peripheral vision. She fully expected to see him staring at her like everyone else. But to her surprise he was sitting at his desk in the corner, with his head buried in a newspaper. He wasn't even looking at her. As she took that in she realized that this wasn't new to him. To him she was just another art subject. And as she glanced out into the crowd of students she realized the same thing was true to them. She was just another person they had to draw for class. That thought seemed to take some of the shock out of what she was doing. 

After a while her arms and legs started to get stiff, and she had an inch on her forehead. She tried to block it out as she looked out into the class. Most of the students were vigorously drawing, only occasionally looking at her. One woman in the back seemed to stare at her for a long time before she finally picked up her pencil to start her work.

Before she knew it she heard Mr. Miller yell out "Ok class, break time. Everyone be back in ten." Annie looked over at the clock and saw that 30 minutes had passed. It simultaneously felt like she had been up there forever and for no time at all. She quickly scratched her forehead before putting her robe back on and going into the bathroom to do some stretches to work out her sore muscles.

The rest of the three hour session went the same way. She'd pose for 30 minutes, and then get a five or ten minute break. During each break she's go to the bathroom to stretch or just hang out in the room while everyone else chatted and compared their work. Then she'd get back on the dais and stand there naked. Each time she shed her robe she found it got a little easier. By the time she did it during the last drawing session she miraculously found that it wasn't that shocking anymore. And as she stood there she found that she wasn't even really aware she was naked unless she glanced down at herself.

"Ok class, time's up. Clean up your work stations and I'll see you next week."

Annie jumped off the dais and put her robe back on before going into the bathroom. Once she was dressed she came out to find that almost everyone had left. She went over to Mr. Miller, who was packing up his stuff. "So…how'd I do?"

"You were fine Miss. Edison," he said without looking up.

"Really?"

"You stood there without moving around too much. That's important with a real life subject. How long have you been modeling for?"

"This was actually my first time."

"Really? That's surprising." He reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of paper. "Here's your voucher. Just bring it to the bursar's office sometime tomorrow and they'll give you your check. Would you be interested in doing more posing for drawing classes?"

"Um…" Annie fidgeted as she thought about it. Truthfully she had been so focused on getting through it the first time she hadn't given much thought on if she'd do it again. Before she could think it over to much she said "Sure."

"Wonderful." He reached back into his bag and pulled out a few business cards. "I'll put you on my model rotation. I like to switch up my subjects so you won't be called in every week. I teach Tuesday and Thursday nights so generally I can get you here once every three weeks. Though if someone cancels I might call to see if you can fill in. I also know a few other art teachers here and at other locations. If you want I can see if they need any new subjects."

"Ok…thanks."

"Take one of those cards for yourself and write your name and number down on another please." He waited as she gave him her information. "Thanks. I'll be in touch Ms. Edison."

As Annie walked down the hallway and out of the building she couldn't believe what she had done. She, Annie Edison, the girl who in high school gym class would wait until everyone else was out of the locker room before changing, had just stood nude in front of a bunch of strangers. It had been terrifying and exhilarating. And even more shocking was the fact that she had agreed to do it again. She couldn't believe it.

Though, she thought as she looked at the voucher in her hand, there were worst ways she would make some spending money.


	2. Chapter 2

Annie had been amazed when she handed in her voucher the next day and received her check. She had made sixty dollars just for standing around for three hours. That was more then she made working a six hour shift at Starbucks. It almost didn't seem right.

As she went home Annie found she had an extra spring in her step. She wasn't generally a risk taker. And now she had taken a risk that had paid off, both literally and figuratively. It felt good for once to have gone out of her comfort zone, especially since doing so had her come out ahead.

A few days later she felt her phone buzz in her pocket in class. As soon as class ended she pulled it out and listened to an interesting voice mail:

'Good Morning Ms. Edison. My name is Shelia Ritter. I'm an art teacher at Riverside elementary. I teach an adult drawing class at night and my model just canceled on me. I got your number from Robert Miller, and I was wondering if you were available to pose tonight. I would need you here at 6pm for a four hour session. I usually pay models eighteen dollars an hour, but since its last minute I can bump it up to twenty five an hour. Please get back to me right away so I know if you're available. My number is 586-628-1763.'

Annie's eyes widened as she took the information in. A hundred dollars for one night of posing. She quickly phoned Ms. Ritter and told her that she was available to pose.

Once it was over Annie evaluated the experience, and found that it wasn't much different from her first modeling session. Again she changed in a bathroom (this time in one across the hall), then waited until it was time for her to get up on the pedestal. Once again the first few moments she shed her robe were terrifying, then afterwards she relaxed and just stood there. She posed in forty five minute increments, and then rested for fifteen minutes before starting again. Like the first time the students observed her closely at first, then gradually spend more time looking at their work then at her. Unlike the first professor Ms. Ritter was more hands on with her students. During the class she would walk around and study each student's progress, and give suggestions on how to improve their drawing.

The biggest difference Annie found was that she wasn't as petrified this time as she had been the first time she did it. It was still somewhat nerve wracking, but not as all terrifying as it was the first time. After it was over and she thought about it, she found she could see herself doing this regularly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

And so Annie found that she now had a new profession she moonlighted at. Within the first few weeks since she started she ended up being put in contact with several different art teachers. Some like Mr. Miller put her on their regular rotation of models. Others, like Ms. Ritter, would only call if one of her scheduled models canceled at the last minute. It got to the point where on average she was posing about once a week, though some weeks she got two or three appointments.

As time went on Annie found that Britta had been right. It actually wasn't that big of a deal to pose nude. She was pretty much ignored when she worked, with the students generally focusing more on their drawings then on her. She found that she felt more at ease naked in a classroom then walking clothed to her car after class ended.

Though once she started getting the hang of it, she did run into two issues. The first was holding poses. Sometimes teachers would ask her beforehand to do a specific pose, such as lying down or something that projected the illusion of motion. The motion ones were tough to hold for. After a few minutes her muscles began to feel sore, and it became an endurance test to hold it until break time.

The other issue Annie ran into was boredom. After the initial thrill and terror of being naked in front of others was gone Annie realized it was boring just standing around for hours at a time. During one class when she was lying down on her stomach she almost fell asleep. She ended up having to come up with ways to keep her mind stimulated whenever she was posing. She'd mentally go over what she learned in class that day, or make lists in her head. Sometimes she's focus on things in the classroom as she stood there, such as what shoes people had on and wondering how many places they had traveled to. Or how many people drew with their left hand vs. their right.

But despite the issues that came up, Annie found that she didn't mind posing nude. Like Britta had said, you got used to it after a while. And it actually wasn't as sexual as one would think. No one talked to her or ever did anything suggestive while she was working. It got to the point where she could just zone out and not even really think about the nudity.

And as time went on Annie began to find that posing nude was gaining her other benefits in addition to the extra money she made. Her confidence in herself improved tremendously. She first noticed it when she had to give an oral presentation in one of her classes. While she was no stranger to talking in front of a large group of people due to debate, it was harder for her to talk in front of a smaller group. But as soon as she got up in front of the class she found that her nervousness was completely gone. She looked at everyone staring at her and miraculously found that she had no problem speaking to them. She kicked her presentation's ass and got not only an A+, but a standing ovation afterwards.

She also began to not be as self conscious in how she dressed. It wasn't so much that she radically changed her wardrobe. Rather it was just little things that she didn't really think about now. Like not always wearing tights when she wore skirts or dresses. Or wearing a top without a cardigan or jacket covering her.

But she didn't truly realize how comfortable she had become with herself until the second paintball tournament. When the madness began she had been wearing a long heavy skirt to go with the western theme. And since she knew she couldn't run in that skirt she took it off, leaving her in tights and Tomb Raider length short shorts. Once upon a time she would have kept the skirt on out of modesty and embarrassment, which would have led to her being taken out early. But now she had no problem running around in a pair of tiny shorts. She hardly even thought of her wardrobe choice as she focused on staying unpainted and fighting her way across campus.

And her confidence in herself extended even further then in what she wore and in public speaking. It allowed her to better deal with people one on one. If someone tried to bull shit her or push her around she found she was able to push them right back. Her confidence in herself meant that she was using her usual 'Disney Look' less and instead was becoming truly assertive. She was able to call Britta out when she went on rants, or Pierce when he said something offensive to her. But mostly she was better able to go toe to toe with Jeff. Rather than just let him talk and charm himself into getting his way she was able to challenge him and call him out. She always smiled to herself when she saw the shocked look on his face when she used his own tactics against him. She was no longer the naïve girl who would step back so others could simply get their way. She was finally becoming assertive and believing in herself. In short she was finally growing up.

True it took a rather unconventional tactic to achieve it, but it was still happening.


	3. Chapter 3

"You should move here," Abed said to her at his and Troy's housewarming party.

After she got home Annie thought about his offer. It would be nice to live somewhere where hearing gun shots weren't a common occurrence. And with her rent being raised again and having to shell out several hundred dollars to replace some broken windows from her car Annie could definitely benefit from living with roommates and sharing living expenses. So she decided to go for it and move in with Abed and Troy.

For the most part her new living situation worked out great (especially when she actually got her own bedroom.) The only downside she found to living with Troy and Abed (besides having to tell them off when their antics disturbed her studying or sleep), was that it was now harder for her to hide her modeling. Even though she had been doing it for almost a year Annie still hadn't told anyone she was modeling nude for life drawing classes. She could probably tell Britta and Shirley without getting too embarrassed. But she knew if she told them Shirley would end up telling the rest of the group. And that was something she did not want to deal with. She could just imagine the guys reactions. Troy would at best giggle uncontrollably. Pierce would leer at her and then try to get into a class himself. Abed would compare her to a bunch of movies and then probably try to see her in a class as a way of better understanding her 'character'. And Jeff would get jealous and try and get her to stop, while never admitting his reasons for it. And even if none of that happened she was sure there would be resentment over the fact that she had kept something like this from them for so long. At this point it was just easier if she kept what she was doing a secret.

On nights she was modeling she would simply tell the guys she was going out. Troy accepted her vagueness without any questions. But after a while Abed started asking where she was going so frequently, stating that she couldn't be studying because she usually did that in her bedroom. Annie ended up telling him she was taking an art class off campus (which was at least partially true.) Of course he then stated that he never saw her with art supplies or finished art works, leading her to lie and say that she kept everything in class. He still looked at her like he thought she was lying, but thankfully left it at that. But Annie was still nervous that Abed would keep asking question. And that it would only be a matter of time before it all came out.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hello Everyone!" Shirley cooed one morning as she came into the study room. "I hope no one has plans for tonight, because I have a special treat for all of you."

"This doesn't have anything to do with Jesus, does it?" Britta groaned.

"No. Although a little religion would do you good Britta," Shirley pointedly said.

"Hum, interesting. So I guess you'd have no objections if I asked Britta to come to my synagogue then," Annie said.

Pierce scoffed as Shirley glared at Annie. "If she wants a real religious experience then she should learn about the wonderful teachings of-."

Jeff groaned as he looked up from his phone. "Everyone. What did we all agree on?"

"No religious talk." The six of them said in unison.

"Exactly. Let's just keep doing what we agreed on. Believing whatever we believe in without discussing it at all."

"And I'd appreciate it if I'm NOT referred to in the third person. I have a mind of my own," Britta said.

"Yea, sure, lets go with that one," Jeff sarcastically said as he went back to his phone.

Shirley fidgeted a little, her joy over her news having been deflated a bit, before continuing. "My choir is having a concert tonight and I have a solo in two songs. And I'd love it if all of you came to see me sing."

"Aw, that's great. Of course we'll be there," Annie said as she sternly looked at everyone.

"I'm in," Abed said.

"Me to," Troy said.

"I'll go, but because I support your endeavors and the arts. Not because of what your gospel singing is associated with," Britta said.

"Hang on, let me just check the Hawthorne schedule," Pierce made a very big production out of taking out his day planner, putting his reading glasses on, and combing through the pages.

Jeff glanced up as Shirley looked back at him hopefully. "Well if everyone else is going then I'm not going to be the one asshole who declines. Where is it anyway? Your church?"

"Unfortunately no. It's closed tonight while they spray for termites." She cringed at the thought of bugs festering in her house of worship. "So it's being held at the adult learning center across town."

Everyone flinched as Pierce dramatically dropped his day planner on the table. "Well Shirley, after carefully going over my schedule, it looks like I'm free tonight."

"What a surprise." Jeff said mockingly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeff was bored.

Overall the evening hadn't been that bad. Though gospel music wasn't usually his thing he was able to enjoy the concert. And Shirley's solo's alone had made the evening worth it. He didn't give her much credit, but she really did have an incredible singing voice.

Once the concert was over he and everyone else congratulated Shirley. She hugged them all and told them how happy she was that they came to support her. She then asked that they stay for a while to meet and mingle with her choir friends and the other members of her church.

It was this continuing socialization that was causing Jeff to feel like he was going to die of boredom. For the last half hour he had been making nice with a large number of incredibly dull individuals. He finally was able to hide out in a secluded part of the hallway with his phone. But tonight even Bejeweled couldn't help him through the tediousness of it all. He was sure he would have a less mind-numbing time at one of his mother's social gatherings.

Jeff glanced up as Annie came towards him. "Hey Jeff."

"Hey yourself. Do you think it's possible to actually die from boredom?"

"It's not that bad. The concert was great."

"I didn't say anything about the concert. I was talking about the sea of boring people we're surrounded by. Maybe Greendale's spoiled us, but I actually wouldn't mind some terrifying incident occurring." As Annie giggled Jeff put his phone away. "Thought it looks like I'm getting a brief break by having to visit the porcelain gods."

"Oh, don't use the bathroom on this floor. It's broken."

"Um, thanks. How'd you know that?"

Annie's eyes widened for a moment before she shrugged. "I went to use the bathroom earlier." For a second she was afraid Jeff would be able to tell that she was lying. But luckily he accepted her answer and walked down to the second floor without any questions.

After using the bathroom Jeff was about to walk back upstairs when he decided to take a few moments to explore and avoid the boredom that was waiting for him. As he walked down the hallway he noticed that there were a lot of pieces of art work up on the walls. It seemed they were pieces from art classes that students were displaying. He first looked over a series of triangles and other shapes. Then he moved onto what looked like various objects that had been drawn in a studio. Of those he liked the one of money that was sticking out of a cat skull. He smiled as he decided that he would have to show it to Britta later just to see her reaction.

Jeff turned a corner and found that this series was charcoal drawings of naked people. They seemed to be arranged by the person being drawn, with three or four drawings of the same person. The first set was an old man who reminded Jeff of The Dean in thirty years. Cringing at that mental image he moved onto the next set, which was a fairly attractive heavier set woman. The third set was a young man who looked a bit like Robert Patterson. Maybe I'll bring Annie here and show her these just to see her squirm, he thought with a grin. He moved onto the next set which was-.

Jeff suddenly stopped as he stared at the drawing in front of him. It looked an awful lot like… No, he thought. That's not…it's impossible. There's no way in a million years that Annie would ever…

Jeff took a couple steps closer, staring particularly hard at the face of the person in the drawing. It's not her, he thought. The eyes are too small. Annie has gorgeous big jewel like doe eyes that can look right through you with a mere glance. The nose is all wrong. The eyebrows are uneven. And the woman's hair isn't shiny. Annie's hair is always sleek, and shiny, and smelling like fruit. So of course it can't be Annie.

He moved on to look at the next drawing, trying to ignore the feeling of apprehension that was taking over. The second picture looked even less like Annie then the first one did. He moved onto the third one and-.

Jeff gasped as he looked at the vivid drawing. It was so detailed and exacting that she seemed to almost leap off the page. As Jeff looked into the perfect face on the paper he couldn't deny it anymore. Either Annie had an identical twin she had never revealed, or the naked woman in the drawing was…

If it had been anyone else Jeff would have deeply admired the artist for their skill. Everything about Annie, from her gorgeous face to her incredible body, had been perfectly captured in pencil. But all that was running through Jeff's mind was, _Annie's naked._ He still tried to wrap his head around that one as he took in her form. Her breasts looked even fuller and perkier then he had imagined they would be. His eyes moved down her stomach to her, _holy shit, I never would have guess she's so manicured down there. _He felt himself growing hard as he took it all in, from her legs to her eyes and everything in between.

He closed his eyes, almost expecting him to realize he had just been imagining it. But the image stayed exactly as it was when he opened them. He pulled his phone out and took a picture of the drawing to further prove to himself that this was real. And as he did Jeff tried to process exactly what he was seeing. How was it possible that little naïve Annie could pose naked for an art class, he wondered. She gets flustered around anything sexual. And how could she have kept something like this a secret?

Jeff looked at the name displayed next to the drawing, seeing that the artist was a man named Michael Collins. And as Jeff read that name he was hit with a surge of rage. The pervert had stared at Annie naked, he thought. He now had a mental image of her smooth porcelain skin, her perfect breasts, her short yet shapely legs, her doe like eyes. The guy would now probably think about her when he needed to whack off, Jeff angrily thought.

And not just him, Jeff thought. But who knows how many men have now fantasized about Annie naked. There were a whole array of pictures circulating of her naked. This could potentially damage her reputation. What if this keeps her from getting a job or something?

Before anyone could see him Jeff quickly took all three pictures off the wall. For a moment he thought about destroying them, but found he just couldn't do it. Instead he covertly managed to get them out of the building and into his car. As he drove off he knew he would have to confront Annie about this.

Just because he was looking out for her, he thought. Not…for any other reason.


	4. Chapter 4

Jeff knew he couldn't broach this issue while the others were around. He had to wait until just the two of them were alone together. Luckily fate seemed to be watching over him, because the next day Annie was the only one in the study room when he arrived.

She looked up from her textbook and smiled at Jeff as he sat down. "Hey Jeff. What happened to you last night? I didn't see you after you went to the bathroom."

"I decided to make a quiet exit and slipped out." He took out his phone and pretended to be causally texting as he glanced at her. "While you're here I need your help with something. I need to take an art class for my major and I'm not sure what to take."

She frowned as she looked at him. "Wouldn't our pottery class have counted as an art credit?"

"Um, yea, it did. But I need two classes worth, so I have to take something else," Jeff quickly said to cover up the hole in his story.

"Oh. Well, you can take a sculpting class since you already have experience with working with clay. Or you can always take a drawing class."

Jeff smiled in his head, happy that she had given him the perfect opening. "Drawing doesn't sound that bad. Plus I'm sure I'll be able to stare at hot naked women if I do that, so that's a plus."

"Why would you say that?"

"I don't know. Don't most art classes always have you draw some young beautiful woman?"

"I'm sure you don't need to take a drawing class to see naked women Jeff. And they use all kinds of people for naked models. You might end up having to sketch an old woman. Or a guy. I'm sure Pierce would have much to say if that happens." She laughed as she pictured that exchange.

He glanced over at her, not able to read her giving anything away on her face. She's good, he thought. It was time to up the stakes of the game. "Sounds like you have some experience on the matter. Have you ever been in a drawing class?"

"Nope," She said as she went back to her studying.

"You sure?"

She looked up from her book, giving Jeff the best poker face he had ever seen. "I think I would remember if I've taken a class on drawing."

"Actually, I asked if you've ever been in a drawing class. Not if you've taken one."

For a split second he noticed a flash of suspicion pass through her eyes before she casually shrugged. "Taken, been. They both mean the same thing."

"Well, not exactly. Taken implies that you've sat in and drawn in the class. While been in…" He pulled up the picture he had taken last night before sliding his phone over to her. "That can imply something else entirely."

Annie carefully picked up the phone, loudly gasping when she saw what was on it. "Where did you get this?"

"Last night. There was some artwork on the walls of the second floor, and that one just leapt out at me."

She quickly deleted the picture before angrily sliding the phone back to Jeff, strongly resisting the urge to throw it at his head. "So that's what this interrogation was all about!"

"I wouldn't call it a-."

"SHUT UP!" The smug smile on Jeff's face quickly disappeared as she stared daggers at him. "You could have just tried asking instead of using the cryptic lawyer tactics!"

"Oh, I could have just asked? Like you would have said anything if I did. It's not exactly like you made any effort to say anything about this before."

"You're not in charge of me Jeff. What I choose to do on my own time is my business, not yours."

"I kind of is my business when what you're doing can potentially destroy your public image."

She shook her head as she bitterly stared at him. "Jeff, what I'm doing isn't porn. It's artistic expression. And you are such a hypocrite. It's all right for you to run around naked playing pool, but god forbid I take off my clothes in any setting."

"There's a big difference between what I did and what you did."

"And what exactly is that Jeff?"

"Well…for one thing I didn't plan to do what I did. And there's no physical evidence of what I did."

She laughed nastily as she stood up. "I hate to break it to you Jeff, but plenty of people had their camera phones out that day. Try googling yourself sometime. Trust me, more people have probably seen you naked then me."

"No one should be seeing you naked at all."

"It's my body Jeff. And like I said before, what I do with it is my business. What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

"I'm just looking out for you Annie. This could completely ruin how people now see you."

She scoffed as she folded her arms over her chest. "I don't think that's the case at all. I think you're jealous. It's Rich all over again. You still refuse to admit you want me, but become possessive when I do anything overtly sexual."

"If that was the case I wouldn't have let you run around in those shorts during paintball," he said jokingly.

Annie looked at him stone faced, not amused with his attempt at humor. "I'm not laughing. I'm not letting you make me feel bad for doing this. I'm proud of it and have nothing to be ashamed of. Though I am ashamed that you actually took a picture of one of my drawings. That's kind of boarding on creepy."

"Hey, I just took it in case you denied it and I needed proof."

"Jeff, we're not in court. And you pretty much couldn't wait to show it to me."

"Hey, I thought you were fine with people seeing your body."

"That's like saying there's no difference between someone drawing me in a class, and someone spying on me while I change. And taking a picture of me naked boarders on the second one. That's almost as bad as stealing the actual drawing."

Annie looked at Jeff as he glanced downward. "Jeff…please tell me you didn't…" She groaned loudly as she figured it out. "What is wrong with you?"

"I was just keeping people from leering at your pictures."

"Are you insane! Were you the one who had the most red marks on Britta's psych test, because that's crazy."

"No, you're the crazy one if you think those pictures are just going to be thought of as works of art. Luckily you just did it the one time. So there's a chance not a lot-."

"It wasn't one time Jeff."

Jeff swallowed loudly as he tried to process what she said. "What?"

"I said that wasn't my first time modeling. I've been doing this for about a year now."

Jeff's eyes bugged out as he took that in. He clearly wasn't expecting that one. "Seriously?"

"Yes Jeff! I've been a nude model for a year now. And I like it and I'm going to keep doing it. It pays decent money and it makes me feel better about myself. I'm more confident now and have gotten over a lot of my hang ups because of it. So you can feel however you want to feel because of this. But I'm not going to apologize or let you make me feel bad just because of your unresolved feeling towards me!"

Annie grabbed her books and hurriedly packed up. As she slung her backpack over her shoulders she looked over and saw that the rest of the study group was standing in the entranceway, staring at Annie. Before they could say anything she yelled out "Yes! I'm a nude model for drawing classes!" She stormed past them and rushed down the hallway.

They looked over at Annie before looking back at Jeff. "Wait," Pierce said. "So when she says nude she is talking about-."

"PIERCE!" Jeff screamed. He grabbed his phone before storming out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

All in all, the reactions of the group finding out went better then she expected. While they were indeed surprised by this new knowledge, they didn't react as badly as she thought they would. Britta thought it was good that she was embracing who she was as a woman and fully encouraged her. At first Shirley was a little concerned over Annie's newfound endeavor; since she was afraid it could lead to 'less moral things'. But once Annie (and to an extent Britta) were able to get through to her that what she did wasn't related to porn or anything like that Shirley didn't push the issue anymore.

Abed actually seemed relieved to have found out she was posing nude. He told her that he knew something was going on with her that was causing her to become more confident and comfortable with herself for a while now, but was unable to pinpoint exactly what it was. So now that he knew what it was he felt relieved. Troy was fine with it, thinking it was actually cool. His biggest concerns were that she wasn't cold when she posed and that no one in the classes harassed her when she worked. She told him she was fine and that she appreciated him looking out for her.

Pierce however seemed to have a reaction she wasn't quite expecting. He told her he didn't think it was a good idea and she should stop doing it. It would only lead to trouble, he said. Guys leering at you and mentally remembering your naked image for nights they can't find a date. Annie was surprised with the almost fatherly concern he showed her on the matter. Though that didn't deter her from wanting to continue posing. She sternly told him that while she appreciated his concern, it was her choice and she was going to keep doing it. He finally accepted it begrudgingly, although he ended his argument by telling her he still wasn't thrilled with it. Annie accepted that, stating that they would simply agree to disagree on the matter.

But while that left five members of the study group that the matter had been put behind with, one still remained elusive.

Annie was still furious at Jeff for what happened in the study room. She was mad at his arrogance and jealousy, and that he still refused to admit he was jealous. And he refused to admit he did anything wrong. Because of it they stopped hanging out socially and whenever they were in the study room together they kept to themselves, making a point to talk to anyone but each other. The icy tension was felt by everyone in the group, making things extremely uncomfortable.

"I think you two need to talk about this," Britta said. "As a therapist I can-."

"SHUT UP BRITTA!" Jeff snarled. "You couldn't analyze yourself out of a wet paper bag!"

"HEY! Don't talk to Britta like that!" Troy yelled.

"Don't try to be the hero Troy. It doesn't exactly fit your character. And don't cry either, no one likes a whiner," Jeff snapped as he grabbed his stuff and made his way out of the room.

"JEFF!" He turned around as Annie marched over to him. "Get back in there and apologize to everyone right now."

"Oh, so you're the group's mom now? I'll tell Teen Mom they have a new person to film."

"Jeff, if you want to be a baby about this, that's you're issue. But you have no right to be cruel to everyone else because of it. This is between you and me, not them."

"I'm just-."

"Just answer me this!" she yelled. "Are you mad because you really think I'm doing something harmful, or is it because you know others have seen me naked and you haven't?"

Jeff stammered, completely unprepared by her question. Annie smiled smugly at his discomfort. "That's what I thought. And one more thing. Professor Wexler was asking if anyone knows who stole the drawings from his class display. I would heavily suggest anonymously returning them after hours, or else I'm telling him I know who took them." With that she turned around and walked away, leaving Jeff standing there in shock.

"Oh, burn!" Leonard called out.

"Shut up Leonard! I know about your I Dream of Jeannie fanfics!"

"Least I'm comfortable enough to admit I like something."

Jeff groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to figure out what to do about everything.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

As Annie walked onto the education building she couldn't help thinking about Jeff. It had now been over two weeks since their fight in the study room. They hadn't spoken to each other since then (not counting her calling him out after he yelled at Britta and Troy). While she was still mad at him, she had to admit she missed seeing and talking to him. But even if she missed him she was NOT going to break down and apologize. Especially when she didn't do anything wrong.

She went into the women's room and changed into her robe before walking into Mrs. Walker's classroom. "Sorry I'm late. There was traffic on the-."

She stopped talking when she saw who else was there. Jeff was standing on a platform in the front of the room, also dressed in a bathrobe. She glared at him, wanting to smack the smug smirk off his face, before turning towards the teacher. "I'm sorry. Did I come on the wrong day?"

"No, you're good. Just stand over there on the other dais." She waited until Annie got on the platform next to Jeff's before turning towards her students. "Ok class. Today you will be directly comparing the differences in drawing the male form vs the female form. You will be sketching both subjects side by side on your paper. This way you have a direct comparison with differences in shadowing, and the different drawing techniques one finds when drawing men and women. Whenever you're ready." She dramatically waved her hands towards the class as she went to her desk and sat down.

Annie hesitated as her hands gripped the belt of her robe. For the first time in a while she felt truly self conscious about being naked in front of others. Or more accurately, being naked in front of one particular person. She glanced over at Jeff, her eyes widening as she saw him drop his robe and stand there completely nude. Ignore him, she thought. Taking an internal deep breath she untied and took off her own robe as she struck a well practiced simple pose.

She fully intended to keep her focus on the class and completely block out the fact that a naked Jeff was standing right next to her. But she couldn't help glancing over at him while he stood there (she was glad she had a lot of practice with moving her eyes while keeping her head in place.) While she had seen him shirtless several times already, she still wasn't used to how amazing he actually looked. From his strong arms and large powerful hands to his well defined chest and ab muscles, it all combined to make him the impressive physical specimen that he was. Her eyes traveled down below his waist to look at his member. Her breath caught as she looked away, feeling hot and almost breathless at the sight of Jeff in all his glory. While she had already seen him fully naked during pool, in the two years since then she seemed to have forgotten just how…impressive he was. Plus back then she only got a few quick peaks. Now she had a complete full view. She willed herself to stop letting less professional thoughts take hold of her.

As she recited the Inspector Spacetime theme song in her head she felt Jeff's eyes watching her (somehow she could distinguish his gaze from the rest of the people in the class.) She could feel his eyes on her, taking in every bit of her. She kept her own eyes forward, determined not to feel more aroused then she already was.

As she looked over at the class she saw a woman in the front gasp and lower her eyes. A few other people starting whispering and stopped drawing their pictures as they pointed in Jeff's direction. Annie glanced over at Jeff and gasped herself when she saw that he had sprouted an erection. She felt her entire body become flushed as she almost hypnotically stared at Jeff.

She was snapped out of her trance as Mrs. Walker loudly pushed her chair back and marched over to Jeff. "Sir," she said in a clearly unamused tone. "Do you need a few moments to calm down?"

"Um, sure, yea," Jeff said in an embarrassed tone. He turned around on the dais as he tried to will his erection to go away. Annie looked over at him, equally turned on at seeing his muscled back and tight butt.

After a few minutes Jeff turned back around, his arousal having disappeared. "You good?" Mrs. Walker asked curtly.

"Yea."

"Try to control yourself," Mrs. Walker huffed as she went back to her seat. The class giggled and Annie couldn't help smirking over Jeff being chastised. She had been doing this long enough to know that a male model getting an erection wasn't professional in a drawing class. At best it was frowned upon, while often the teacher got frustrated over the class being interrupted.

Annie rearranged herself slightly as she got back into position. As she kept herself focused she again felt Jeff's eyes on her body. After a few moments Mrs. Walker slammed her hands down on her desk and marched over to Jeff. Annie glanced over and started laughing as she saw him desperately trying (and failing) to hide his erection.

"Sir!" she said with barely restrained anger. "Put your robe on and follow me into the hallway. Now! Class, we're ending early today. I'll see everyone again next week."

Jeff sheepishly put his robe back on and followed a stern Mrs. Walker out into the hallway. Annie quickly put her own robe on as the class packed up their stuff and meandered out of the room. As the room emptied Annie could hear Mrs. Walker yelling in the hallway, able to catch such words as 'unprofessional', 'class disruption', and 'juvenile behavior'. For a brief moment Annie wondered if she could change back into her actual clothes. But she didn't want to change in the art room, and she was far too nervous of encountering Mrs. Walker's wrath if she tried to go out to the bathroom (even though she herself didn't do anything to disturb the class).

Annie finally heard the yelling stop and sharp heels click down the hallway. A moment later Jeff came back into the room. "She um, she told me to tell you she'll pay you for two of the four hours, even though the class was less than a hour. And I was asked not to come back."

"Asked?"

"Ok, told."

"I'm not surprised. What happened isn't exactly professional."

"Well you're the expert. You've been doing this long enough."

Annie groaned angrily as her frustration over everything came roaring back. "What the hell was this anyway? What were you trying to prove?"

Jeff leaned against the doorframe, trying to figure out how to answer the question. "I guess…I wanted to see you in your element. I wanted to see you actually doing it."

"If you wanted to see me naked so badly you could have just taken the class as a student. Although I might have been even more furious if you did that. But going to the trouble of posing with me? That seems awfully involved for a slacker of your caliber. And how the hell did this even happen? I've been doing this for a year and I've only had a few classes where I've posed with other people. And you just happening to…" She frowned as she looked up at him. "Did you arrange for this to happen?"

"I…I mi…" He groaned in defeat as he walked over to her. "I may have suggested to the art department that drawing a man and woman together would be a good exercise."

"And then what, you found out what night I would be posing and arranged to be available for the same class?" She scoffed in annoyance as she read the look on Jeff's face. "I don't believe you. Why after everything did you-."

"Because I'm jealous, all right." He ignored the shocked look on her face as he forced himself to continue. "I hate the idea of other guys staring at you naked for hours at a time. Or at all really."

Annie stared at him, not able to believe that he was finally admitting what she suspected all along. "You're jealous, really."

"Yea."

"And why is that."

"Well, because you're my friend and-."

"JEFF! If after all this you still can't admit how you feel then I doubt I can be around you anymore. Maybe you're right," she shrilly said. "Maybe it is all in my head. You probably just did this to show your stuff in front of everyone. Then a cute art student gave you a smile and suddenly you're hard as a rock and ready-."

"If that were true I would have been kicked out of the first art class I posed in."

She abruptly stopped as she heard what he said. "What?"

"I…I didn't know if I could go through with my plan to pose with you. So as a practice run I first posed last week by myself for a class. And guess what, I was as limp as I'd be in a men's locker room. I actually do have some self control. But as soon as I saw you tonight, in the flesh naked, I couldn't control myself. I was thinking about everything from dead kittens to Pierce in a thong bikini and I still rose to the occasion with just a glance at you. So there's your answer as to if I'm attracted to you. And in case it isn't obvious, that answer is yes."

She smiled briefly before shaking her head in sadness. "Fine, so you're attracted to me. That doesn't exactly mean-."

She was suddenly unable to talk as Jeff grabbed her face and kiss her hard on her lips. She grabbed onto his arms as she felt her knees buckle. She felt slightly dazed as he pulled back a few inches. "Annie, if it was just simple attraction then I wouldn't have gone to all this trouble. Or have gotten so upset when I first found out you were doing this. I went nuts because I have strong feelings for you. And the thought of some other guy being with you intimately, even if it's just in a platonic draw you naked kind of way, drove me crazy. Yes, I handled this whole thing badly. But I can't deny that I DO have romantic feelings for you. Cause I do."

She looked at him before slapping him in the chest. "You're an ass," she said sternly as she pulled Jeff towards her and kissed him again. As they made out her hands went towards his robe belt and unknotted it. He followed suit as he quickly untied her own robe and slipped it off her. They both fell to the ground as he pulled his open robe off and flung aside.

_Author's note: This chapter took a long time to write, with several revisions along the way. Originally it was going to end with a detailed sex scene. But by the time I got there I kind of just wanted to finish the chapter. So use your imagination for this one kids. (Though I did envision art supplies and body paint being used at various points) _


	5. Chapter 5

"Thirty five years in the auto motor industry and now I have to spend my retirement playing watchman."

The security guard grumbled as he made his rounds. Normally the job wasn't that bad. He just hated when he had to work overnight. He walked down the hallway when he noticed a light was on in one of the art rooms. He walked into the room, stopping abruptly when he was what was inside; which was a very naked man and woman asleep in each other's arms. They were both covered in charcoal smudges and had yellow paint handprints all over their bodies.

"Oh for god sakes! Damn artists!"

He went over to them and started poking Jeff with his nightstick. "Wake Up!" As Jeff stirred the security guard jabbed at Annie. "WAKE UP!"

Jeff finally opened his eyes, groaning as the security guard looked down at him. "Shit!" As he grabbed his robe Annie woke up, squealing in shock at the sight of the security guard.

"You and your girlfriend have three minutes to get dressed and get out of here, or else I'm calling this in and you'll have to deal with the actual police," he sternly told them before walking out of the room and standing in the hallway.

"That's the second time I've been yelled at tonight. Third if I count you."

"Jeff, shut up! We've got to get out of here!" Annie franticly yelled as she searched for her duffle bag. She finally found it and franticly started getting dressed as Jeff got his own clothes back on. Once they were both dressed they turned off the lights and walked out of the room, with Annie going up to the security guard. "Please, please don't say anything about this," she begged him imploringly. "If this gets out this could-."

"Did you steal or break anything in there?" he sternly asked.

"Um…no."

"Then just get out of here. If I report you it'll just be a mountain of useless paperwork for me to fill out. Leave right now and I didn't see anything."

"Thank you so-."

"Why aren't you leaving?"

"Yea, that's our cue," Jeff said. He grabbed Annie's hand as they quickly walked down the hallway. They didn't stop until they were out of the building and in the parking lot. "Well that was one to remember." He pulled his shirt to the side as he inspected his shoulder. "I might have to pick up a special body wash to get this paint off."

He looked over in bewilderment as he saw Annie doubled over, laughing hysterically. "What's so funny?"

"Just…everything." She took a few deep breathes as she straightened up and regained her composure. "You, me, us. This, that. Everything." She let out another chuckle, which seemed sadder then her previous laughter. "It just seems like whenever I have it all figured out you come along and throw everything through a loop."

"Hey, you think you don't do the same to me? Before you my life was easy. I knew exactly who I was and what I wanted out of others. Then you came along and suddenly I'm insanely jealous and am not above doing stupid stunts to prove affection. So you're not the only one whose world has been turned upside down."

Annie took a deep breath as she picked up her bag. "Well, anyway, I guess I'll see you tomorrow Jeff."

She barely took two steps before Jeff grabbed her hand and puller her towards him. "No. Don't think for a second we can just leave this thing unresolved like that."

"Jeff, I'm not a kid anymore. I know that having…sex, doesn't automatically lead to a relationship. So don't worry about it, you're off the hook. Let's just have it where this was a _very_ satisfying one time encounter and leave it at that."

She started walking away, only to find that Jeff still had a firm grip on her hand. "Jeff-."

"What if I don't want this to be a onetime encounter?"

"Jeff, after last year's fiasco with you and Britta I don't think we should be running around having sex in secret."

"That's not; I don't…I don't want you to be like m…I don't want you to be like this. Where you screw and run. That's not who you are. You're Annie."

She pulled her hand out of his as she felt herself becoming angry. "I'm not the same woman I was when we first met Jeff! I'm-."

"I know you're not the same. And I like that." He continued as she abruptly stopped talking. "I like who you are right now. You're more confident, you're assertive. You stand up for yourself without freaking out with childish outbursts. At least when an evil Asian doppelganger isn't involved." He chuckled as he attempt to joke before continuing. "I don't want you to go back to who you once were. But I also don't want you to stray too far away from yourself either. I like that you expect more out of people, and that you don't believe in settling. I like when you're bubbly and get excited over silly things, and that you actually want a relationship rather than just a one night stand or a fuck buddy. What I'm saying, is I want you to be both versions of you. I want you to be strong and confident, but also warm and bubbly instead of jaded and cynical. And that I want to be with both versions of you."

She rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Sure, you want to be with me now. But then in a week or so you'll get bored and-."

"Annie. Do you honestly think I would have acted even half this crazy over someone if I thought I'd get bored in a week? Or if I wanted to be with them just for great sex? I want to be in an actual relationship with you. I want to tell the group, deal with that huge fallout, and then see where it goes. Hopefully in a direction the me before Greendale would have scoffed at.

She looked up at him, a hint of suspicion still present in her eyes. "You really want to do this?"

"Annie, we both know it would be easier if we either left it alone, or at least attempted the 'Britta Jeff just sex route'. But with you, I don't want that. I want something more. I doubt I would have gone to all this trouble if I didn't want more from you. I can't promise that I won't mess up at times, or that I'll always know what do to. This is kind of new territory for me. But I want to try and see where this goes."

Annie smiled as she pulled him down and kissed him. But after a moment she gently pushed him back as a realization came to her. "Jeff, wait. Before we do anything there's one more thing we have to discuss. I'm not going to stop modeling."

He smiled easily, preparing a winning 'Winger' speech to change her mind. "Annie-."

"No!" she yelled at him. Jeff's smile disappeared as he realized she wasn't speaking with girlish defiance, but with true passion and conviction. "I know you're jealous of others seeing me naked. But I don't care. I like doing this. At first it was just about making some extra money. But it's become so much more than that. It's helped me gain confidence and helped me not be ashamed of myself. All those new things you just said that you like about me; most of it has come directly from posing naked. And I'm not going to stop just because you have a problem with it or can think of reasons I'll regret it. Because pretty much the only regret I have is the fact that I don't get to keep any of the artwork I'm in. So I'm asking you, right now, if you can deal with it. Because if you can't then this isn't going to work."

She waited as he took a moment to truly think it over. "Well, I did say I liked you being more assertive. I guess I have to accept that it means I can't always charm my way around you."

"So, what's your answer?"

"Well, I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't make me jealous."

"I guess there's your answer," she said bitterly.

"But I meant what I said before. I like all the new aspects to your personality that you've gained. And if this is what it takes for you to keep growing, then I want you to keep doing it."

She looked at him as her lips seemed to settle somewhere between a smile and a frown. "You're not just saying that? You really mean it?"

"Yes, I mean it."

"And you're not to go crazy anymore either? Like stealing art work and pulling stunts like you did tonight?

"I don't think crazy Jeff will be reappearing."

She grinned before pulling his face to her and nibbled on his bottom lip. "Just out of curiosity, was this the last time naked Jeff will be making a appearance in the art world?"

"Hate to break it to you babe, but that was just a two time thing," he managed to say as he pulled his lip away. "For now on there's just one nude model in this relationship." He brushed her hair off her shoulder as his fingers grazed a spot that was coated in paint. "You know, my shower had a very powerful spray. And we can probably get all this stuff off us better if we had some help with washing."

"Is that so," she said with a grin. "And I'm sure the longer we're covered in it the harder it will be to get off. We should get in that shower right away."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

_One week later_

Abed heard the familiar three tap knocking from outside and got up to answer the door. "Hey Jeff. Annie's still getting ready." He nodded his head towards the large rectangular sheet covered object in Jeff's hands. "Is that a gift for Annie?"

"Yup." He came into the apartment and carefully set it down.

"Aw, Jeffrey!" Jeff turned around as Troy came over to him. "I understand you're taking young Annie out tonight. May I ask what you're intentions with her are?"

"Ok, can you knock off the concerned father routine already. It was funny for half a second the first time. But now it's just unnerving. It's bad enough that I have to deal with the concerned father act from Pierce. Also, I'm older then you, so it kind of doesn't work."

Troy laughed heartedly as he clapped Jeff on the shoulder. "Chop busted fellow adult, chop busted. Seriously though, I expect you to treat our Annie with respect. She's a lady, remember that."

Before Jeff could respond Annie's bedroom door opened, followed by her stepping out into the living room. "Hey Jeff. Troy, you're not giving him a hard time, are you?"

"Just making sure he treats you right."

Jeff walked over and kissed her before taking in her outfit. "You look great."

"Thanks. So do you. So, shall we?"

"In a minute. First I want to give you something." He glanced at Troy and Abed (who were giving him the 'parental concerned look') before taking her hand. "Alone." He picked up the rectangular object before he took both it and Annie into her bedroom.

"Ok, first off," Jeff said as he closed her door. "You've really got to get them to stop this whole Father's Knows Best routine they've got going. It was barely amusing during our first date. Now it's just maddening."

"They're just looking out for me. And having a bit of fun," she said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes as Jeff looked at her pleadingly. "Fine, I'll talk to them."

"Thank you."

She bounced on her toes as she pointed towards the mysterious object. "What have you got there?"

"A surprise. Close your eyes."

Annie placed her hands over her eyes, excitedly waiting as she heard the rustling of a sheet. "Ok, you can open them now." Annie pulled her hands away, gasping in surprise at what she saw.

It was a nude drawing of her. Specifically, the really good one that was currently being displayed on the wall of the second floor of the Sylvain adult learning center. It had been put in a large black frame with white matting around it.

"Oh my god, Jeff. This is amazing. Thank-." She suddenly stopped smiling as she looked at it. "Wait. I thought you said you returned all the drawings you took."

"I did, scouts honor." Jeff took out his phone and showed her a picture, which was himself handing money to the drawing's artist Michael Collins. "I bought it legit from the artist. I couldn't exactly get a receipt so I figured this would prove I'm being truthful. And for the record, taking it in the first place still ended up screwing me over even after I returned it. Michael was going to charge me $200 for it, but after he thought about the fact that someone tried to steal it he realized its value and upped the price to $400."

"Lucky for you he didn't realize you were the one who took it. He might have charged you even more." She held up the framed drawing and stared at it intently, before gently placing it on her bed. "Why did you get me this? Not that I don't love it. But we've only been dating for a week. And I'd like to think we're not quite shmoopy enough to celebrate that milestone."

"I got it for you for two reasons. And neither are to be overly cutsy. First, I got it for you because you said you regretted that there were all these art works featuring you and you didn't have any of them. So I decided I could at least make sure you had one work of art that features the most beautiful woman I know."

"Aw! Jeff. Thank you. I really do appreciate it. Wait, you said there were two reasons."

"The second reason, is that this is my way of formally apologizing for how I acted. Even though things have obviously worked out between us, I never actually said I'm sorry for everything I did. For stealing your drawings, for being jealous and treating you badly, for being a jerk to you and everyone for two weeks, and for the whole nude modeling stunt and jeopardizing your career by having sex with you in that art room. So, I'm sorry."

Annie slowly smiled as she walked over to Jeff. "Well to be fair, I also had a hand in the art room sex, so you're not entirely to blame for that one." She put her arms around him and hugged him. "Thank you. For the drawing, but mostly for apologizing for everything. It means a lot."

"Well, you're not the only one who can change things about themselves." He kissed her one more time before taking her hand. "Come on. We don't want to miss our reservations for dinner."

As they walked out of her room Annie glanced over her shoulder, taking one more look at her drawing. She smiled as she realized how many good things come out of deciding to pose a year ago. She had gained confidence, inner strength and self assurance. She had learned to love herself and to stand up for herself like a grown up. In short, it had helped transform her into a woman.

Funny what can happen when you peel back your layers and let yourself see who you really are.


End file.
